The Core Laboratory will serve the Sickle Cell Center projects in several ways. The laboratory will be a centralized resource for the investigators, providing all diagnostic needs for patients who are enrolled in the research projects. The research needs of the investigators will also be strongly supported by the availability of 14 state-of-the art machines dedicated to the synthesis, purification, and analysis of proteins and nucleic acids. These instruments form the basis for the services provided by the Core Laboratory, which include: oligonucleotide synthesis, DNA sequence analysis, nucleic acid purification, analysis of fluorescently-labelled DNA fragments, polymerase chain reaction, database analysis and sequence assembly, peptide synthesis, amino acid analysis, protein sequence analysis, preparative electrophoresis, capillary electrophoresis analysis, HPLC analysis and purification. Access to this technology, which would otherwise be unavailable or prohibitively expensive for individuals to obtain, combined with the technical expertise provided by the Core Laboratory personnel will facilitate the successful completion of specific aims proposed in the projects. In addition, the Core Laboratory will develop and implement new diagnostic procedures which win be based on the technology available in the facility and offer these improved assays to the investigators once the methods have been established. The overall impact of the Core Laboratory on the Sickle Cell Center should be the efficient, cost-effective and rapid production of research and diagnostic data for the projects.